The EU Will Have Trouble Backing Up Its Ambitions in Southeast Asia

The EU Will Have Trouble Backing Up Its Ambitions in Southeast Asia
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are seen on the screen during an online opening session of the Asia-Europe Meeting, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 25, 2021 (photo by An Khoun Sam Aun for the Ministry of

Early last December, the European Union unveiled its Global Gateway, a plan to spend up to 300 billion euros, or $340 billion, over the next six years financing major infrastructure projects around the world, particularly those to develop clean energy and combat climate change. Although the Global Gateway does not have an explicit focus in terms of specific countries, it prioritizes developing regions such as Southeast Asia.  

The investment plan is just the latest expression of Europe’s heightened interest in Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific region more generally. In the past year, several European countries have released Indo-Pacific strategy white papers, while the first official European Parliament delegation visited Taiwan. 

Clearly Europe has its eye on the Indo-Pacific. But what impact will this newfound attention actually have on Southeast Asia?

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